Bloomingdale's Fires Worker Over Free Palestine Note in Hanukkah PJs

(Bloomberg) -- Bloomingdale’s terminated the employee who inserted a slip of paper with the phrase “Free Palestine” into a package that had Hanukkah-themed pajamas, according to a person close to the company. 

The customer who received them found the hand-written message inside the package and posted it on social media Tuesday. Bloomingdale’s, the high-end department store owned by Macy’s Inc., paused operations in part of a fulfillment center to investigate the incident, said the person, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. The center is now back up and running, the person added. @arielleharris_

a gift of hannukah pjs covered in jewish stars from @Bloomingdales and @P.J. Salvage was ruined by an unsolicited note. this is deeply disturbing and needs to be addressed. response to video from my boyfriend @Andrew @Claudia Oshry @Carly Weinstein @Jewish News ♬ original sound - arielle h

“Antisemitism and discrimination of any kind have no place in our business,” a Macy’s spokesperson said in a statement. “This conduct was unauthorized, unacceptable, and in direct violation of our company policies.”

It’s the latest instance of how tensions in the Middle East are still reverberating around the world more than two years after Hamas attacked Israel and sparked the Jewish state’s retaliatory action in Gaza.

The conflict has sparked pro-Palestinian protests from New York to London and Sydney, with leadership at companies such as Microsoft Corp., McDonald’s Corp. and universities including Harvard and Columbia caught in the fray. It has also driven debate over free speech and the corporations’ responsibility to its employees and customers.

The Bloomingdale’s incident came to light on TikTok, when a woman named Arielle Harris said her boyfriend gifted her the “You Had Me At Shalom” jersey pajamas. Decorated with the Star of David and made by the brand P.J. Salvage, Bloomingdale’s is selling it at a discount for $81.20.

Harris explained in the post that she opened the gift and saw “Free Palestine” written on the back of a Bloomingdale’s sales tag, which was placed on top of the receipt.

“My boyfriend hadn’t even opened the package before giving it to me,” she said. “This never should have happened and Bloomingdale’s needs to answer for their employees.”

Harris didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Updates with more details from the customer in 6th to 8th paragraphs.)

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